search

PAJU SUPPORTS THE BLOC QUÉBÉCOIS MOTION

Publication date : 2017-05-30

Press release

Montreal May 30, 2017 - PAJU supports the Bloc Québécois motion calling for the recognition by the Canadian Parliament of Palestine as an independent state in accordance with international law and official Canadian foreign policy. The Bloc motion is a statement of unequivocal support for the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the integrity of international law. It should be noted that 136 Member States of the United Nations out of 193 Member States recognize the Palestinian state. The Canadian government is now in a minority position in the UN, still voting against any and all resolutions favoring the legitimate claims of the Palestinians in relation to their historical rights and their right to self-determination.

PAJU SUPPORTS THE BLOC QUÉBÉCOIS MOTION

Montreal May 30, 2017 - PAJU supports the Bloc Québécois motion calling for the recognition by the Canadian Parliament of Palestine as an independent state in accordance with international law and official Canadian foreign policy. The Bloc motion is a statement of unequivocal support for the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the integrity of international law. It should be noted that 136 Member States of the United Nations out of 193 Member States recognize the Palestinian state.

The Canadian government is now in a minority position in the UN, still voting against any and all resolutions favoring the legitimate claims of the Palestinians in relation to their historical rights and their right to self-determination. The Trudeau government's policy on the Palestinian issue is indistinguishable from that of the Harper government that preceded it.

Yet, in terms of its official foreign policy, Canada "recognizes the right of the Palestinians to self-determination and supports the establishment of a sovereign, independent, strong and democratic neighboring Palestinian state. "

Bruce Katz, co-president of PAJU, added: "The Bloc Québécois has demonstrated great integrity and moral courage by way of this motion, which fully recognizes the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination. In fact, the Bloc motion is based on the notion of a Two-State solution, a concept to which other parties in the Parliament of Canada pay lip-service without actually supporting it in any concrete way. So if those parties vote against the Bloc motion, it means they are voting against the Two-State solution; they are already against the idea of a single binational state, so what would be their choice: a No- State solution? You can’t run in two directions at the same time! »

The motion of the Bloc coincides with the 50th anniversary of the illegal occupation and colonization of the West Bank, which lends still greater weight to this motion. Also, it should be noted that Gaza has been under blockade for nine years – the crime of collective punishment under international law- and that Palestine includes both the West Bank and Gaza.

Thousands of Israelis have recently demonstrated in Tel Aviv in support of peace and support for an independent Palestinian state. PAJU urges all parties in the Parliament of Canada to vote unanimously in favor of the Bloc Québécois motion on Palestine. Otherwise, they will continue to be complicit in the illegal colonization and occupation of the Palestinian territories.